SIX WAYS TO TRADE FORCE FOR TRAVEL
Simple machines.
Useful questions.
A longer handle, another rope segment, a finer screw. Explore how a small geometric change affects the force you need.
Lever
Can a longer handle lift the same load with less effort?
Open the editable example ↗Wheel and axle
Why does a bigger wheel make a small axle easier to turn?
Open the editable example ↗Pulley
How does sharing a load across rope segments reduce pulling force?
Open the editable example ↗Inclined plane
Can a longer ramp make the same lift easier?
Open the editable example ↗Wedge
Why does a shallow wedge need less pushing force?
Open the editable example ↗Screw
How does a screw turn a small hand force into a large axial force?
Open the editable example ↗The trade is force for distance.
These ideal, quasistatic models make the work balance visible. Mechanical advantage reduces the effort force by increasing input travel; real friction and deformation reduce performance. Each example states what its model leaves out.